AP Euro students in London
Taking AP Euro as a sophomore comes with the opportunity to travel Europe. The students this year who signed up to go got to travel to London, Belgium and France. Being able to see the places we studied so hard to learn about was a truly breathtaking experience.
Day 1 and 2: London
Once the group arrived in London, they met the wonderful tour guide, Adrian. They hopped on a coach bus and, once off, they admired the closely-knit architecture of the charming red brick houses.
Although a bit jet-lagged, they dropped off our luggage at the hotel and began the London adventure. Throughout the trip, there was scheduled free time. Mr. Berndt, one of the Euro teachers on the trip, had sent the group a document beforehand with different options we could choose from. As long as people were in groups of three or more, the students could explore freely. The options for that afternoon included the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Natural History Museum. “The Euro trip was amazing! Being able to travel through city streets in independent small groups felt as though we got to personalize our experiences and enjoy the trip all in our own ways!” (Alex Nordeen).
Later, they went on a bike tour, which I personally loved—it helped keep me awake, made me feel more connected to the city, and I just love biking in general! We visited Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Horse Guard Parade, and more. At each stop, Adrian brought the history to life with engaging stories.
Dinner each night was a three-course meal—appetizer, main course, and dessert. While the group had mixed feelings about the food, I personally found most of it delicious. My sweet tooth practically sang when I bit into a passion fruit dessert. Yum, yum, YUM! But apparently, dessert wasn’t enough—some of us went to get gelato afterward from a cute customizable gelato shop.
Afterwards, we walked to a park near Kensington Palace, where people played ultimate frisbee, explored the grounds, played tag, and even had a spontaneous cartwheel lesson. Afterward, we returned to the hotel, excited for the next day.
Day 3: London
That morning, we celebrated our victory from the previous night — we had finally figured out how to turn on the hotel room lights.. by inserting our key card into a slot. Embarrassing, lol.
After a lovely buffet breakfast, my friends and I had a little photo shoot with one of London’s iconic red phone booths. Then as a group, we visited the British Museum. The day before, we had received Oyster cards to ride the London Underground. While initially intimidating, we quickly got the hang of it.
During free time, I visited Westminster Abbey and the National Gallery—a dream come true for an art lover like me. Pictures truly don’t do real art justice. We all regrouped at Trafalgar Square, had dinner, and ended the night with a visit to the Tower.
Day 4: Belgium
Goodbye London, hello Bruges! We traveled by Chunnel to Brussels and had some free time to explore and find lunch. The fries and chocolate were amazing, and the central square was absolutely picturesque.
To get a feel for our experience Drew Kaiser stated, “Paris and Bruges was an unforgettable experience. Not only was it exciting to see historic places we had learned about in class, but it was also a lot of fun to explore new cities with friends. From taking group photos at the Eiffel Tower to walking the cobblestone streets of Bruges, every day was filled with laughs and memories.”
Then, we continued to Bruges by coach. After checking into our hotel, we had dinner and some evening free time to explore. Bruges was enchanting—we took countless photos and created unforgettable memories.
Day 5: Bruges
Another bike tour—this time through Bruges! The canals, windmills, and churches were stunning. During free time, we visited the Church of Our Lady, a waffle shop, and a rather unsettling hospital museum (featuring a sculpture of a pig sprawled on a woman’s lap and eerie music from upstairs… yeah). We also quickly stopped by a torture museum before sprinting to make it to our boat cruise—and we made it just in time!
The canal ride was peaceful and the perfect way to unwind. We also squeezed in some souvenir shopping—I picked up a few things for my family to share the experience with them. After dinner, people gathered for a night of card games: Go Fish, BS, President… then off to bed. France awaited!
Day 6: France
We left Bruges with three stops in mind on our way to Paris:
Reims Cathedral, where French royalty was crowned.
Belleau Wood, a significant WWI American battlefield and cemetery.
A WWI and WWII museum
Once in Paris, we dropped our bags at the hotel, had dinner, and set off to the Eiffel Tower. The climb was intense, but the view was breathtaking. We stayed to watch it sparkle before making the 45-minute walk back to the hotel, since the metro had unexpectedly closed. Exhausting—but magical.
Day 7: Paris
Today’s bike tour through Paris was my favorite, especially with my love of the French Revolution unit. Afterward, we attempted to visit Notre Dame, but the lines were too long. We pivoted to Sainte-Chapelle, but it was also packed, so we hiked to the Musee d’Orsay.
We waited in line for about an hour, but once inside, it was incredible. We saw everything we planned to see, then grabbed crepes on the way to see Napoleon’s tomb.
After regrouping, we tried escargot (a first!) and went souvenir shopping before visiting the Arc de Triomphe. A full, satisfying day.
Day 8: Versailles
We visited the Palace of Versailles, and it was truly beyond words. The Queen’s Hamlet was breathtaking. Later, my group visited the Orangerie Museum, where I saw Monet’s Water Lilies—a surreal experience.
After dinner, we visited the Louvre, and saw the Mona Lisa. There was much beyond the Mona Lisa that we looked through as well. Afterwards, we had the option to see the Arc de Triomphe but since I’d already been, I chose to get some much-needed rest.
Riley Man comments on his experience in Europe, especially France: “I had a really great time on the Europe trip! It was so fun to go off and see the world with a bunch of my friends. One of my favorite memories was figuring out how to navigate the French subway system by ourselves. This trip helped me grow as a traveler and a person, taught me a bunch of interesting things about the places we went, and was a great way to cap off a long year of AP Euro!”
Day 9: Final Day in Paris
We woke up early to beat the lines at Notre Dame and finally got to see it—followed by Sainte-Chapelle! Both were stunning.
We treated ourselves to some final baked goods—I had a mango sponge cake, my friends got éclairs, and we shared macarons. Absolutely divine.
Then, it was time to head back to the hotel and begin our journey home.
Reflection:
This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will forever treasure. The history, the culture, the food, the friendships—we packed so much into just 9 days, and I’m so grateful for every single moment.